


Of the Seas

by Kittybrimbor



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-10-10 10:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10435437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittybrimbor/pseuds/Kittybrimbor
Summary: They hardly agreed in the beginning. She was too soft, and he far too overpowering. It seems almost impossible that they would get along, but perhaps in the end they do.





	1. The calm before the storm

The current was gentle that morning. A late argument had left the sea in a calm after the storm as if it’s occupants were simply sleeping. A quiet, but persistent song the lulled softly above the others. At least, for now it did. For now, as the counter melody rested in the deep, and Uinen could breathe for once. She could breath instead of frantically trying to vie for her counterpart's compassion, and control. The sea was theirs to protect, not destroy in a single evening.

 

But Uinen, he would argue as always, we are powerful beings! It is within our right.

 

Yes, and Ulluboz put us here to watch over the sea, not turn it into a chaotic whirlpool, she would shoot back.

 

They had had this conversation far too many times already. Actually, they argued on quite a few fronts, and the Firstborns weren't even awake yet. It gnawed horribly at her nerves. If they could barely be peaceful now, how on Arda were they going to last until the Second Music. Ulmo grant her patience as it may well seem like eternity at this pace. He thought his chaos fun, and harmless, and harmless it was not. More often then not the Maia found herself tired from trying to fight against him almost every moment. 

 

Melkor let him do as he liked, and Uinen wondered if he saw the consequences to those actions. The harm he cause to the creatures they were supposed to protect. For the moment, her kin worked beside her to combat the damage Terror caused, yet even she knew there was only so much to be done. Only so many creatures that could be saved from this, and her song seemed to become quiet at the thought. Darting off to check on the creatures and waters within her care, the Maia was sure to keep a watch for his strain of song much like the strong cadence of drums upon the air that would drown her out within moments. It was rare she could out do him. She was the calm to the storm, but rarely did peace last, and she hoped in this moment that he would leave it be. Perhaps it was a fool's hope. She surely didn't know.

 

“My Lady?” The voice broke her from her revere , and the Lady of the Waters turned to see Salmar. He was a kindred spirit. Strong like Osse, but they were hardly the same. Actually, their strengths were where the similarities stopped as far as she was concerned. Osse was reckless, chaotic, and _childish._ Salmar was not. In fact if ever there was an opposite to the Terror it was Salmar.

 

And Osse knew that.

 

“Yes, Salmar?” She asked quietly. Her emotions were easy to see, and unless Terror was about she didn't try to hide them. She was distracted. Her thoughts obviously else where then focused upon the Oarni before her. It was had to focus. Much to do before Terror felt like another hurricane, and Eru knew that he wouldn't wait long. He never did.

 

“Lord Aulë wishes to see you. He asked that you met him on shore.”

 

The Maia sighed, shaking her head. “Right...Salmar could you please watch over things. I'll be back at the first sign of trouble.”

 

The other Maia nodded, and Uinen darted off for shore. Why did Aule want her? It seemed peculiar that the forgemaster would have any interest in a Maia of Ulmo. Well there was only one way to find out was there? She would go and see, but the first sign of trouble, and there would be, she was gone. The Seas were her and Ossë's responsibility, and he was gone. It was her job to keep things running as they should, whether Ossë cared or not was not her problem. 

 

At least that was what she told herself.

 

She thought back to how loud his Music- his _Song_ had always been loud, and nearly overpoweringly so. It was a powerful theme, and it was _beautiful._ She would be lying to say it was not, but it was almost hard to hear herself or Ulmo for that matter. Then Melkor...he'd started his discord somewhere in there, and some how the damnable Terror got louder. Several of her kindred had quieted at the sudden intrusion, and yet Eru had pulled his theme out of it all, before stopping. If the Maia had ears perhaps they would have been ringing. Now they only seemed to ring with the sounds of thunder, lightening, and wind. 

 

The Maia slipped careful from the water to the shore as she spotted Aule. She was smaller then he, and that was by no means a surprise. She was smaller then Osse after all, and certianly she would be dwarfed by a Vala. Even so it was odd to see him away from his forges or his Maiar. “My Lord? Salmar said you wished to speak to me?”

 

Looking up, the Forgemaster's bright eyes fell upon the Maia as he nodded his great head turned to face her.  "I did." He agreed. "But only because I do not wish for what happened with a dear Maia of mine to happen to Ossë.”

 

Uinen’s head tilted to the side curiously. He must be referring to Mairon, she thought quietly. She cared for Ossë despite all the times he irritated her. She admired how freely he acted, although sometimes she felt he needed a fraction of restraint. Even if only a little bit. “So what would you like me to do? Talking doesn’t work! He doesn’t listen! He argues!” He belittles her for voicing her concerns to the one that is supposed to be her counterpart! Admittedly though, she kept that thought to herself. For some reason his belittlement hurt more. As if he didn’t trust her, and all she wished was that he would slow down.

 

The Vala sighed, and leveled Uinen with a pointed look. “Have you tried showing him? Going to his level, and see through his eyes? Perhaps that would help him see what has happened, to see what he has caused. Not all beings are the same nor do they learn the same. Show him rather then talk to him”

 

“And what is to say that will work?” Uinen sighed, almost looking helpless as she glanced away from the Vala. “I fear Melkor may have more pull upon him then you think, my Lord. Ossë….he seems happy, being able to what he wishes. His fun is a mess I must repair, and I’m not sure if that will sway him, to see what he’s done.”

 

“You can do nothing, but try, Uinen. Do what I could not.”

 

The Maia nodded, knowing he had a point, in the end. She knew nothing except the possibility of it not working. She couldn’t truly know the heart of Ossë on the matter. Perhaps if he was shown it could work….

 

In a way, she wanted it to. He was reckless, headstrong, and often acted before he thought, but that didn’t make him bad. He was a free spirit like the sea could be, and perhaps he simply needed a proper push.


	2. Truth and Understanding

“Milady, this is madness!”

 

Honestly, she didn’t blame Salmar for thinking so. After all, this was Ošošai they were dealing with, and yet she still wished to do what could be done. Perhaps they could prevent Melkor from getting the upper hand after all. Perhaps more selfishly she hoped to bring a stubborn friend _home_.

 

“Be that as it may, Salmar. But someone has to try,” she replied with a wave of her hand. Her mind was made up on the matter. She _would_ try. It was the least she could do. After all, Aulë might be right. Maybe he simply needed the right push. Maybe, just maybe, things wouldn’t end up as they did with Mairon.

 

“But Uinen, we need you _here._ You cannot go and save someone that has no will to return to us! Do not waste your strength on someone just as vile as the master he serves! Too much could go wrong- what if you don’t come back?”

 

“Then I don’t come back and Ulmo will have to deal with it,” she shot back, fins flaring with anger. “I will not stand on the sidelines, and let another fall to Melkor’s lies, Salmar! I will not watch idly as someone I care for is twisted as Mairon has been.” The water had become turbulent about them at her outburst, and it became abundantly clear she was just as capable of stirring up storms as Ossë was. Yet Uinen knew when to stop, and though restraint was certainly something he needed to learn, it _could_ be learned. It was not beyond him; of that she was sure. A frown crossed her lips as the other seemed to cower, and the Maia shook her head. She would not change her mind.

 

“Salmar, I _will_ come back. I am not declaring war. I am asking him to listen, and observe. I doubt much harm will truly come of it.”

 

Or at least, that was her hope.

 

The other Maia nodded, finally deciding that perhaps it was best to let her be.

 

“Just be careful, milady, I would not want to see harm done to you.”

 

Uinen simply nodded as she began to swim away. She’d either make it out alive, or Ulmo would have a different kind of problem on his hands.

 

 

The water was far murkier then she recalled it being, and it gave her pause for a moment. What had they done? Before now there had been so many vibrant creatures out this way, and now most seemed to be missing entirely or merely hiding. She wasn’t sure which. She feared the former, and hoped for the latter. A wrenching twist ached in her being at the thought, and it only got worse as the cadence of what she knew to be Ossë’s own song began to thunder through the waters.

 

Well, it didn’t take him that long to find her, did it?

 

A sound reverberated through the water, a deep, rumbling clicking that was far too predatorial for Uinen’s nerves. She tried not to let the fear she felt make its way into her song; she had to stand firm. She had to. Most of their kin feared him with good reason, but he was supposed to be her partner in guarding the sea. If anything, his defecting felt like something of a betrayal to her.

 

Her Song remained calm as ever, even as it took on darker notes at her feelings, curling about that feeling of betrayal. Her eyes meet Ossë’s defiantly. She would not cower. He was just as Maia as she, and she prepared to fight tooth and nail to get him to see her as his equal instead of sniveling like the rest of them.

 

Osse’s head tilted to the side almost curiously as he clicked, circling her for a moment, and Uinen followed him about as he went.

 

“Why are you here, Uinen?” he rumbled, careful to keep his distance. Her eyes flickered over his sharp teeth. Ossë had always been more angles then soft curves by nature, and it was no surprise that he kept this.

 

“I want to see if you were right. If storms are as fun and entertaining as you claim,” she said simply, shrugging as if it were mere curiosity that had drawn her here. “Would you care to show me? Perhaps we could sing together?”

 

A sharp toothed grin spread over the larger Maia’s lips, razor sharp teeth straining against flesh in an odd contrast that sent shivers through Uinen. It was oddly exciting to see that grin, and it was both an excited and mischievous thing that Uinen couldn’t remember when she had last seen. He seemed less serious, more open now. Had he ever been like this before?

 

Osse extended a clawed hand out to her, and his grin seemed to grow wider. “Come. I will gladly show you.”

 

She was hesitant for a moment to follow, but then she placed her hand in his, offering him a small smile in return. She would have to fix this in the end, but perhaps understanding would aid in bring at least one of her kin home. Truthfully, that was all she wanted. She wanted Ossë home, of his own choice of course, but nonetheless they would be better off with him on their side. She only hoped that she _could_ understand after this. Would a storm truly help? Or would it only solidify her conviction on the matter? She surely did know.

 

“I’ll follow your lead,” she replied. “After all you are far more experienced with storms.”

 

He stilled for a moment, clicking as he mulled over some thought. “I suppose…” he said after a moment. “However, once you get the feel for it, try it on your own. There is a difference to it.”

 

Her head quirked to the side, but she nodded. She didn’t quite know what he meant, but maybe at some point she would understand. She hoped.

 

“We are powerful beings, Uinen,” he said suddenly. “You need not always be calm and gentle. You have power. _Use_ it.”

 

Her Song swirled with confusion, yet she still followed him for the moment. She mimicked his notes as they began, and suddenly there was a shift in the water as Osse grew louder, nearly drowning her out as he Sang. For some reason, she decided to become louder as if to fight him for dominance in this song, and she watched as he grinned almost happily as she did. Suddenly it became apparent what he meant. It was as sudden as the change of the current.

 

In the end, it seemed that Aulë may have been right after all.


End file.
